Hell Hath No Fury
by ReganX
Summary: Xander's jilting of Anya has unexpected consequences when she, Tara and an unlikely ally cast a spell that goes horribly wrong. Complete.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To accommodate the plot for this story, the timeline's going to need to be tweaked a little. Tara found out that Willow was using magic on her just before Xander jilted Anya at the altar and just after Darla staked herself. Dru's return to Sunnydale took place a couple of weeks before that. This story takes place in Season Six of Buffy, just after Xander jilted Anya. Connor has already gone to Quor'toth.

* * *

**Prologue.**

"Quiet." Xander's voice was deadly serious as he waved his friends silent. "They can smell fear."

Moving as silently as a wraith, Buffy pushed open the door to the bedroom Willow and Tara had shared, the one that had belonged to her mother.

She, Xander, Dawn and Willow breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw than their problems were all sleeping, three blonde heads and one dark lined up on the pillows, each cherubic face looking completely at peace with her world.

Not wanting – or daring – to wake them, the blonde Slayer closed the door gently before turning to her friends, a fierce expression on her face.

"Now," Her voice was cold with anger, do any of you want to tell me exactly how this happened?"

* * *

_**The previous night.**_

"_Men suck!"_

"_Not just men."_

"_Gone. All gone. All alone in the dirt."_

_Had Anya and Tara been sober, they would have noticed that their companion was more than a little odd, even by their standards, but after you have been dumped at the alter by the man you loved or found out that your girlfriend has been controlling your mind, you can hardly be expected to think rationally._

_Neither Anya nor Tara were sure how or why their night out – loosely translated as the drowning of their sorrows with enough alcohol to float a small ship – had progressed from the Bronze to the back garden of the Summers' house or how the said companion had managed to become a part of their circle, but they had been drinking and commiserating with one another for a good three hours._

"_Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life." Anya complained, wiping her eyes with the veil she couldn't bring herself to take off. "I was going to get married to the man I love, the man I thought loved me and he dumps me, just like that. Like he doesn't even care."_

"_She pushed into my mind, she took away my memories, just to suit her." The normally gentle Tara was furious. "She violated me."_

"_I was with him for more than a hundred years. He was my prince, my knight, my love, my everything, and he chose his enemy, someone who hates him over me. He offered to kill me for her."_

_The former vengeance demon and the witch stared wordlessly at her for a few minutes, expressions of awe and sympathy on their faces._

"_You win." They chorused._

* * *

"_Why are we doing this again?" The initial cloudy headedness following Tara's multiple shots of who knew what was beginning to recede, only to be replaced by a thumping headache._

"_To talk to my Grandmummy." The dark haired young woman told her happily. "Her prince left her too."_

_Drusilla couldn't remember when she'd met humans this entertaining._

_The two young women, intended at first for a meal, had proven to be the most sympathetic audience she'd ever had._

_Nobody else had ever really listened to her ramblings, not even Spike._

_She hissed under her breath._

_Damn Spike!_

_Perhaps she'd adopt these two girls, make them her children, so that they could be friends forever._

"_Are you sure we're doing this right?" Tara asked, massaging her temples to get rid of her headache._

_Anya just giggled, apropos of nothing._

"_We're going to talk to Grandmummy." Drusilla said childishly, her dark eyes lighting up. "She can help us."_

_In their inebriated – and in Drusilla's case, insane – state, none of them knew exactly what they were supposed to do but between them they were confident that they had a fair idea of how to proceed._

_Sitting in a circle, they had chanted words vaguely resembling those of the spell Tara had suggested while Drusilla tossed rose petals liberated from a nearby flowerbed in the air whenever she felt it was warranted._

"_Drusilla?" A shimmering form in white frowned at the dark haired vampire. "Have you lost what's left of your mind? What are you doing?"_

"_Grandmummy!" Drusilla beamed ecstatically._

"_This is your grandmother?" Anya's tone was incredulous._

"_What is this?" Darla had no idea what was going on in her insane grandchilde's mind and she had a feeling that she didn't want to know._

"_Our princes have left us." Drusilla wailed, flinging an arm around Anya and almost squeezing the life out of her. "And so has her princess." She gestured towards Tara, who had been preparing to object. "They turned into toads!"_

"_Lousy jilting toads." Anya elaborated resentfully._

_/And I thought being dead would mean some peace. / Darla thought, exasperated._

"_What do you expect . . ."_

"_Hey!" Dawn poked her head out of her bedroom window. "Some people are trying to sleep in here."_

_Starting guiltily, the three culprits sprang apart, breaking the fragile bond of their circle._

_Dawn gaped open mouthed at the four little girls, no more than five years old stared up at her._

_There was only one thing to do in a situation like this._

"_BUFFY!"_

THE END.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

**_The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)_**

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **Although the four little girls are all physically five years old, they have some memories of their adult lives, depending on how old they were when they were transformed. For example, Anya was, as near as I can tell, eleven hundred and twenty three while Tara was twenty one, so Anya will retain much more of her adult personality and memories than Tara does. Darla and Drusilla will fall between the two.

* * *

****

**Chapter 1.**

"Why am I here?"

"Because somebody up there has a very twisted sense of humour?" Spike suggested.

Angel glared at his grandchilde. "Shut up, Spike." He returned to the blonde Slayer, who scowled at him. "Buffy?"

"You are here," Buffy spoke in a slow, precise tone. "Because what is happening is your fault."

* * *

**_The previous night._**

Only one of the four little girls had been willing to talk to the Scoobies about what had happened. The other three hung back, two of them shy and one of them decidedly grumpy.

_Unfortunately, even after she had started talking, it was hard to get the information they needed from her._

_"My name is Anya and I'm this many years old." She proudly held up one hand, displaying five digits. She wrinkled her little nose. "I have another name too but I don't like it very much." She commented. "I like here better than where I was. It smells nicer. Not like sh. . ."_

_Xander clapped a hasty hand over her mouth to prevent her from finishing._

_The little girl pulled away, frowning at him. "I remember you sorta." Her childish voice was both puzzled and indignant. "You hurt me. That's why we're here. 'Cause people hurt us."_

_What do you mean?" Buffy asked, bewildered._

_The little girl popped her thumb in her mouth and looked up at the Slayer with an adorable expression of confusion on her small face. "I don't know."_

* * *

The four little girls were thankfully still sleeping, lined in a row on the big bed.

They hadn't woken since they had been carried into the house yawning and put to bed nine hours earlier, after little Anya had given the gang her seal of approval, and there wasn't an adult in the place who wasn't dreading the moment when the sleeping children began to stir.

"So far, the only connection I can think of between them is that they've all had partner trouble." Dawn reported.

Willow, Xander, Angel and Spike all had the grace to look uncomfortable.

"What exactly were they doing out there?" Buffy shuddered. "Just the thought of Darla and Drusilla being in my garden at night gives me the creeps."

"I think that they were trying some kind of resurrection spell." Willow volunteered. "But they didn't do it right."

"You think?" Xander couldn't keep the edge from his voice.

"A spell? That's your department, Wills, can't you . . ."

Willow sighed. "Without knowing exactly what spell they cast, or I should say _tried _to cast, I can't reverse it and since they can't tell us what they were doing . . ."

"We're stuck with them like this." Buffy finished dourly.

"Hello? Old people?" Little Anya, dressed in a long T-shirt borrowed from Buffy's closet appeared in the living room, where the adults had congregated, rubbing her eyes plaintively. "I'm hungry."

"I'm hungry too." The little blonde girl they had identified as Darla announced, following Anya into the room. "I want food." She smiled at little Tara, whose hand she held tightly in hers. "So does Tara. And Dru."

The last named ducked her head, hiding behind her curtain of dark hair.

"Come on." Dawn, trying to ignore how weird this was, gathered the little girls together and ushered them into the kitchen. "I hope you guys like Choco Puffs, 'cause I think that's all we have."

"So what now?" Angel asked, his eyes fixed on the door little Darla had passed through.

"Somebody's going to have to take care of them until we can fix this." Willow suggested practically. "We can call Giles, maybe he can help, but until then we can't leave them to their own devices."

"I agree." Buffy said, acknowledging the wisdom of her friend's words. "I've got work and patrol, so I'm out." She said hastily. "And Dawn's got school. Anyway," She fixed Willow, Xander, Angel and Spike with a glare. "Since this could be interpreted as being your fault, I think it's only right that you guys take responsibility for them."

"I agree." Dawn seconded, exiting the kitchen in time to hear her sister's last sentence.

"But I don't know anything about taking care of kids!" Xander protested.

"I'm not exactly nanny material either, Slayer." Spike pointed out.

Buffy gave them her own version of Willow's resolve face. "Then I suggest you learn." Her voice was firm. "Quickly."

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" Darla asked between mouthfuls of sugary cereal.

"I think they want to send us home." Anya said sagely.

Drusilla shook her head fiercely, tears springing to her dark eyes. "No. I don't want to go home."

"Me neither." Tara's voice was soft.

"I like it here." Anya said decisively, scooping another spoonful of slightly soggy Choco Puffs into her mouth. "This tastes better than yucky _porridge_."

Darla and Drusilla, both having had experience of that hated food, gave a collective shudder.

"And it'll be fun to play together." Anya added.

"So we're agreed." Darla said, taking charge. "We're not going to let them send us anywhere. Not unless we decide to let them." She put her hand into the centre of the small table, grinning as three other hands were placed on hers.

* * *

"So how do we work this out?" Angel asked the other three unfortunate individuals conscripted for babysitting duty. "One each or do we take turns looking after all four?"

"No way are you leaving me alone with four rugrats." Spike objected.

"I agree." Willow seconded him. "If we keep them together, we'll need to have more than one of us with them. How about we each take charge of one, and if we're doing anything as a group, we all watch them."

"Sounds okay." Xander said dubiously.

"So who gets who?" Spike demanded.

"How about we each take the one we know best?" Willow suggested slyly. "I'll take Tara, Xander gets Anya, Spike and Angel get Dru and Darla." She paused for the briefest of moments. "Great, so it's agreed." She sped out of the room in search of her small charge before anyone could object.

It took a few seconds for the guys to realize that Willow had just managed to take the only child not likely to cause trouble.

"Bugger."

TBC.

_Next Up: The Buffyverse version of 'Take Your Daughter To Work Day'._


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**

_**The next day.**_

"No, kid, stop!"

Anya looked up at the irate construction worker, favouring him with her sweetest smile.

"I'm helping." She announced proudly, hammering another nail into one of the smooth planks of varnished pine intended for the floor of the apartments they were building.

"That's nice, kid, but I'd really rather that you just left it alone."

"No fair!" Anya pouted. "I want to work like big people do, and have a job and pay like they do." Her lower lip trembled and she looked ready to cry.

The poor man had no chance.

"Look, sweetie," He fished in his pocket for his wallet. "If you leave the wood alone, you'll really be helping me out and I'll pay you a whole dollar." Little Anya sniffled, her eyes filling with tears. "Two dollars." He amended hastily.

"Okay, mister." Anya beamed as she accepted the bribe and skipped away, much to the construction worker's relief.

Once out of sight, she tucked the money into the back pocket of her jeans, where the other four dollars she had 'earned' were and scanned the building site for her next victim.

The cement mixture looked like it could use a dose of blackcurrant juice.

* * *

Tara was a little angel.

At first Willow had been slightly apprehensive about taking the miniaturised Wicca to her college classes with her but, much to her relief, Tara had been as good as gold

Although armed with a colouring book and a box of crayons she had not occupied herself with them, choosing to observe the classes, probably paying closer attention than any of the older students did, although she didn't understand a word and never opened her mouth.

The sociology professor thought that she was adorable but Tara had managed to mortally offend the head of the mathematics department by falling asleep during her lecture.

Willow's next class was computer programming but she didn't have the heart to inflict it on an innocent five year old.

"Come on," She said impulsively, holding out her hand. "Let's ditch class and go get some ice cream."

Little Tara accepted the proffered hand and gave Willow the biggest, brightest smile she had ever seen on either the woman or the child.

* * *

"Give me that!"

"No way!"

"It's my turn to pick."

"What you pick is boring."

Darla rolled her eyes heavenward, as if asking what she and Drusilla could possibly have done to deserve babysitters who only lived up to the first part of their titles.

" 'Passions' is on." Spike growled at his grandsire.

"But my team is playing now."

"_Every _team is your team."

At first, Angel and Spike's bickering had been funny. Now, it was merely irritating.

Darla glanced over to her dark haired companion, a sly expression on her small, heart shaped face.

"I'm bored. How about you?"

Little Drusilla nodded solemnly. "They're too loud."

"Come on then." Darla slipped past the couch, unnoticed by her bickering guardians.

Drusilla, after the briefest of hesitations, followed.

* * *

_**Lunchtime.**_

"How are you getting on?"

Xander grinned in response to Willow's query when they and their charges met up for lunch. "Really well, actually. I thought that Anya would be a pain in the ass . . . bottom." He amended hastily for the little girls' benefit.

"Tara was an absolute angel." Willow gushed. "She didn't disrupt any of my classes at all. Everybody loved her."

"What did you tell them?" Xander asked curiously.

"That she was my little cousin and I had to babysit."

"Same story I used."

"Did you have fun today?" Anya asked brightly, not waiting for the shyer child to answer. "I did and I was working and I earned real money." She said, as proudly as if the nine dollars in her pocket had been nine million.

"Okay, girls." Xander, thankfully, had not heard what the little vengeance demon had said. "What do you want to eat?"

Anya waved her hand frantically in the air before screeching out her request.

"PIZZA!"

* * *

"Hello?" Buffy closed the door behind her, poking her head into the living room and seeing nobody there. "Angel? Spike? Where are you guys?"

A series of muffled thumps brought her upstairs where she was hard pressed to keep from laughing, until she realised what was happening.

Angel and Spike were taking it in turns to hammer on her bedroom door and yell at whoever was in there.

"Girls," Angel's voice was stern. "Come out of there right now."

"Or we'll kick down the door." Spike threatened.

A giggle and a 'sure you will' was the only response they received.

"What's going on here?" Buffy glared at the two vampires.

"They locked the door." Spike muttered gruffly.

"I thought that you two were supposed to be watching them."

"We were." Angel's indignant tone was quickly replaced by a sheepish one as he amended his statement. "Kind of."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You two are hopeless." Shouldering them aside, she knocked on the door. "Darla? Drusilla? Open this door right now."

"Make us." One of them – she was pretty sure it was Darla – responded insolently. "We've locked the window too."

Knowing that she wasn't going to make any progress, Buffy grasped the door knob firmly, twisting it with a flick of her wrist, breaking the lock and pushing open the door.

Her bed had been stripped of its sheets and quilt, which had been employed to make a tent like fort that Drusilla was curled up in.

Darla, dressed up in a short silk dress it's owner had not yet had a chance to wear, her face caked in Buffy's make up, glared up at the blonde Slayer, furious with her for daring to interrupt her fun.

"Well?" She asked, her tone nastier than that of any five year old Buffy had ever met. "What do _you _want?"

For once, the blonde Slayer was speechless.

TBC.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note I: **To gidgetgirl – I loved the tea party suggestion. Hope you don't mind my exploiting it.

**Author's Note II: **To dreuzel – Glad you like the kids, but I'm afraid I don't think I would have the heart to leave Buffy, Angel & Co. with four small children on their hands permanently.

* * *

**Chapter 3.**

_**That evening.**_

"Please?"

"Sorry, pet."

"But, Spike . . ." Little Drusilla's lower lip trembled and she looked ready to cry.

"I said no." Spike's tone was gentler than his words. "Dru, do I _look_ like a guy who wants to have a tea party?"

"No." She plumped her lips into an adorable pout, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

Spike chuckled. "Nice try, little luv, but after a hundred years of seeing you make that face, I'm immune."

"A hundred years?" Drusilla gave him a puzzled look. "But I'm only five. How could I . . .?"

"Never mind." Spike cut her off hastily. "I've got to go patrol now, but if you really want to play tea party, I know just the person."

* * *

"Would you care for some more tea, Lady Lots-Of-Money?"

That role, needless to say, had been eagerly claimed by little Anya, who held out her cup eagerly.

"Four lumps of sugar, please." She said, lifting her pinkie in her best imitation of a society lady.

"And you . . ." Drusilla trailed off. Somehow the name of the third member of their party did not quite fit with the mood of the solemn occasion. She combed her mind for a suitable alias. "Edith." The name felt rightin some way. "Miss Edith." She amended politely, not wanting to be accused of bad manners.

Xander, who had already been subjected to the indignity of a makeover at the hands of four five year old girls and whose face now rivalled that of either a demented harlot or a circus clown, just stared at the dark haired little girl.

"Would you like some more tea, Miss Edith?" Little Drusilla asked graciously, admirably fulfilling her duties as hostess.

"Miss _What_?" the long suffering Xander asked incredulously.

"Miss Edith needs her tea." Drusilla declared in a soft singsong voice. "And if she's been good, she'll get lots of cakes."

"Miss Edith's been bad." Anya announced instantly, not wanting to have to share said cakes.

"I'm not Miss Edith!" Xander spluttered indignantly. "Do I _look _like a Miss Edith?"

The two little girls tilted their heads to the side, scrutinizing his features carefully.

"Yes." They chorused sweetly.

* * *

"Now add the chocolate chips, and make sure you stir them in well." Willow directed, beaming down at the earnest little girl at her side.

Trying to come up with a way to entertain the little girls while Buffy and the two ensouled vampires were out on patrol had been a bit of a challenge.

Giving Xander a makeover had kept them occupied, but only for a short time and Willow had steadfastly refused to be a guinea pig for the four would be beauticians, especially after a deceptively angelic looking Darla had suggested that she could use a haircut.

She was already dreading what Buffy would say when the blonde Slayer saw the condition her make up box had been left in.

Anya and Drusilla had already claimed Xander for their tea party, so Darla and Tara were helping her make cookies – at least, Tara was helping, Darla was more interested in eating the ingredients.

"Does this look alright?" Little Tara asked shyly, presenting the bowl of cookie dough for inspection.

"Perfect." Willow laid a gentle hand on the shy little girl's shoulder. "I'm sure that they'll be delicious."

"I hope so." Tara bit her lip. "'Cause a girl who can't cook and clean is worse than useless."

"Who told you that?" Willow asked gently, trying to hide how troubled she was by the five year old's words.

"My daddy." Tara's response was soft. She gave Willow a smile that lit up her little face. "Can we get these ready to put in the oven now?"

"Sure." Willow made an effort to smile. She looked over at the second little blonde, who was tucking into the leftover chocolate chips. "Want to help us roll out the cookies?"

"Not really." Darla popped a small fistful of chocolate chips into her mouth.

"Please, Darla?"

The five year old former vampire looked over at her quiet friend with a gentler expression than anyone had seen on the face of either her adult or child self.

"If you'd like me to."

She moved over to where Tara was standing and started rolling small balls of cookie dough, both children quickly becoming happy and messy.

* * *

"So do you think Willow and Xander are okay with the girls?" Angel asked anxiously.

"They'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Angel pressed. "Darla can be a handful."

"And Dru's not exactly the easiest person in the world to deal with." Spike chimed in. "Five years old or not."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Willow and Xander can cope."

"Good of them to give us the night off, though." Spike conceded grudgingly. "Even if it was for patrol."

Buffy gave the two vampires a devilish smile. "You mean you guys didn't understand the deal?"

"What deal?" Angel stared at her blankly.

"Willow and Xander took care of the girls tonight," Buffy said sweetly. "Because you two are taking care of them all tomorrow night."

TBC.

_Am I evil to leave Angel and Spike at the mercy of the fearsome foursome? Please review, and let me know if there's anything in particular that you'd like to see._


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To Faeries Twilight – Poor Spike. Good idea, though.

* * *

**Chapter 4.**

_**The next evening.**_

"Why's the sky blue?"

"How the bloody hell should I know?" Spike scowled.

"Do puppies and kittens go to heaven?"

Angel shrugged. "They must. I didn't see any in Hell."

"If a tree falls on top of somebody and crushes them until they're dead, does it still make a noise?"

Both vampires stared at little Darla.

"She's your ex, mate." Spike told Angel with a grin.

"Is it okay to 'sploit people so's you can make a profit?" (No prizes for guessing who asked that)

"When will the stars come out to play?" Drusilla asked mournfully. "The sky's sad and lonely without them."

"Did the devil make bunnies to punish people for being bad?"

"What's . . ."

"Whoa!" Spike held up a hand to halt the constant tirade of questions being fired at the two unfortunate vampires by all four of the little girls. "What's with all the questions, nibblets?"

"Willow said that you can only learn if you ask questions." Tara said softly.

"And we want to learn." Darla glared at Spike, daring him to criticize her protégée.

"Well from now on you do the opposite to what Willow tells you." Spike commanded, wanting to put an end to their constant questions.

"Really?" Darla gave him a smile that could only be described as feral. "Because she told us to be good for you."

"No, wait. . ."

"But if you don't want us to, that's fine by us, isn't it?"

The other three little girls nodded solemnly.

Angel turned to glare at Spike. "Have I mentioned how much I hate you?"

* * *

**_Fifteen minutes later._**

"I think purple's Spike's colour." Darla decided, after careful consideration.

"Green." Anya sighed dreamily. "Dollars are green."

"What do you think, Tara?" Darla looked across at the other girl. "What's your favourite colour?"

"Yellow." Tara all but whispered.

"Colours. Pretty colours, lots of pretty colours." Little Dru chanted happily.

"What are they planning on doing to us?" Spike asked Angel in a hissed whisper.

"I don't know. Just remember, whatever happens, it's your fault."

"Alright, gentlemen." Darla smiled at her two victims. "Time for your manicures."

"Manicure?" Angel knew that Darla was evil, but this was extreme, even for her.

"Not a chance." Spike glared at them. "There's no way you're painting my sodding nails."

In response to a nod from Darla, Tara's lower lip trembled and her blue eyes started to fill with tears, an example Drusilla was not long in following.

Within a minute, all four little girls were sniffling tearfully.

"Fine!" Angel said hastily, feeling like the biggest bastard in the world. "You can do our nails." _/At least we can wipe the nail polish off before Buffy and the others get back. /_

"Makeovers too." Darla demanded, striking while the iron was hot.

"Sure," Spike tried to console them. "Just stop crying."

The four five year olds, their eyes now miraculously dry, beamed up at the two unhappy vampires.

"So," Darla said, taking the lead as usual. "Who's first?"

"He is."

"He is."

* * *

"Dru, please, I am begging you, not pink, anything but pink."

"Black then." The dark haired child smiled absently at Spike. "Black for the black knight of the night."

"Put pink stickers on his nails." Anya suggested eagerly. "Like little hearts."

"Is Buffy going to get mad at us for using her make up?" Tara asked timidly. "Are we going to get into the trouble?"

"Don't worry." Darla said reassuringly. "That bitch isn't going to do anything to us."

"Darla!"

"Oy! Language!"

Darla ignored the two vampires and their rebukes, rummaging in Buffy's drawer until she found what she was looking for.

"I know you like hair gel," She said sweetly, addressing Angel. "So I'm going to make your hair look great."

"Darla . . ."

"Don't worry, darling boy." She patted his head as though he were a puppy. "I'm going to take care of you. The glitter's going to look great."

"Glitter . . ."

Before Angel could say another word, Darla had applied a generous handful of hair gel liberally laced with blue glitter, in his hair and was massaging it into his scalp so thoroughly that it would be a month before all traces of the glitter disappeared.

"Hey, girls, I've changed my mind." Spike announced desperately. "Go back to asking us questions."

"Where do babies come from?"

"Uh . . ." Although Spike was well versed in the subject, he wasn't about to share his knowledge with a group of five year olds. "Ask Angel."

"I know." Little Anya announced importantly, abandoning Spike's nails in favour of sharing her pearls of wisdom with her friends. "When a man and a woman love each other, or else when they're orgasm friends . . ." She paused, glaring up at the two unfortunate vampires. "This is _private_."

"Do you mind?" Darla shooed them away imperiously. "Go watch cartoons or something."

"What's an orgasm friend?" Tara asked shyly, half raising her hand.

"I'm out of here." Spike declared, half running out of the room before he was completely creeped out.

Angel wasn't long in following.

"Now," Anya beamed at her pupils. "What was I saying?"

"You were going to say what an organism was." Drusilla reminded her.

"An _orgasm_." Little Anya looked pained by the other child's ignorance. "An orgasm is a lot like a dollar . . ."

* * *

"Do you think they're alright by themselves?" Angel looked up at the ceiling above him, as if expecting it to cave in at any minute. "Should we stay up there to keep an eye on them?"

"Not unless you want them to decide we need a haircut." Spike glanced at his companion. "On second thoughts, you'd better head up there."

"Funny." Angel scowled at him.

* * *

_**Three hours later.**_

"Everything alright in here?" Buffy asked as she closed the front door behind herself, Willow and Dawn.

"Fine."

"We're good, Slayer."

Angel and Spike were in the living room, watching an old horror film and commenting on the inaccuracies.

"Are the girls asleep?"

"Sound asleep." Spike confirmed, deeming it better not to mention that they had only managed to get the girls to bed within the past twenty minutes, after he and Angel had been forced to sit through the Pokemon movie.

"They weren't any trouble, were they?" Willow asked anxiously. "Was Tara okay?"

"Best of the bunch." Angel said, with perfect truth.

"And you didn't have any problems?"

"None." Angel hid his gaily manicured hand behind his back.

"So you'd like to watch them again tomorrow night."

Buffy took a sadistic pleasure in the looks of terror on the faces of both ensouled vampires.

"Kidding."

TBC.

_Please keep up the reviews. Next chapter: The Scoobies' Day Out._


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note I: **To Faeries Twilight – the little kids you know must be a lot politer than the ones I know.

**Author's Note II: **Apologies for the update delay. As I'm back in college, most of my stories will probably end up on hold during the semester, although I'll probably keep up with a couple of them.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5**

_**The next afternoon.**_

"I don't get it." Xander complained, his expression on of bewilderment as he watched the four little girls run around the playground. "We already took them to the zoo, then the beach, then a movie – how are they not tired?"

Buffy just scowled at him, still ticked off with herself for allowing her friends to rope her into helping out while Angel and Spike remained indoors, out of the sun's reach.

"They're not tired" Willow spoke slowly, as though to a small and particularly dense child. "Because _someone _let them talk him into buying a store's worth of candyfloss, ice cream, sodas, chocolate as well as enough candy to turn them all into diabetics."

"Oh." Xander felt about two inches tall. "Right."

* * *

Xander might have been a bit silly but, in Anya's sage opinion, the soft hearted young man was worth his weight in gold – or at least in pennies.

The sweets she hadn't eaten had stocked her first shop, a modest enterprise opened for the benefit of those unfortunate children whose parents were cruel enough to provide them with _healthy _snacks.

At a dime for a piece of candy, or three pieces for a quarter, her prices were steep, but her sugar-starved customers were desperate.

"I'll give you my apple for a lollipop." A tow headed little boy wheedled.

"Nope." Little Anya was completely unsympathetic. "No bartering allowed."

He scowled. "I'll give you a kiss." He offered desperately, remembering the success of this form of currency when dealing with his grandmother.

Anya studied him intently, then shook her head decisively. "No deal. You're not very handsome and I don't think you'd give me the orgasm. Cash only."

"But I don't have any money!" He complained dismally, not willing to show that he was put out by her rejection. "I wish I did."

"Wish granted." The softly voiced words were spoken automatically, before the little girl realised what she was saying.

"Hey!" Her young customer exclaimed excitedly, his face lighting up as he dug through his pocket, producing the coin as though it were a trophy. "I found a quarter."

Anya's smile couldn't possibly have been wider. "Then we can do business."

* * *

The other three girls were all having fun in the playground but Drusilla didn't want to join them, although she was glad that they were keeping the adults' attention diverted from her, allowing her some peace and quiet.

She was enjoying her talk with her new friend.

"Spilsh, splash, splosh, listen to the water's song." The dark haired little girl sang softly, her expression dreamy as she climbed over the fence and hung over the bank of the shallow stream like a miniature Ophelia, a wreath of daisies encircling her head, dabbling her small, slender fingers in the water.

She missed her mamma sometimes, but she liked it here.

Here nobody yelled at her for talking to people that weren't really there.

Here nobody called her a devil child.

"Pretty pictures." Her dark eyes became opaque as she kept her gaze fixed on the rippling water. "I can see pretty pictures in the water."

* * *

World War III was in progress.

Hissing and snarling like a wild cat, Darla took furious swipes at her opponent's face, her small face contorted with fury.

The little boy, about a year or so older than his assailant, prudently kept his eyes tightly closed to protect him, doing his best to escape the clutches of the small Fury who had him pinned.

"Darla!" Even with her Slayer strength, it took a great effort on Buffy's part to lift the struggling little girl from her victim and carry her away, still kicking and fighting. "Calm down!"

"No." Tara, half in tears, clutched at the hem of Buffy's top, looking up at the older girl with a pleading expression. "Don't yell."

"It's alright." Willow lifted the five year old up and hugged her. "Nobody's mad at you, Tara."

"You're not supposed to fight, and you're not supposed to hurt people." Buffy scolded, half-conscious of the absurdity of chastising a four hundred plus year old former vampire for fighting.

"I don't want to hurt him." Darla muttered mutinously.

"Good . . ."

"I want to kill him."

"No." Buffy sat down on the bench, holding the little girl firmly to prevent her from escaping and carrying out her threat. "No killing."

"He hit Tara." Darla scowled across at the little boy, who had made it to the safety of his mother's lap by now. "He hit Tara and made her cry."

"He did?" Willow looked as though she was ready to take a leaf out of little Darla's book. "Where is he? Wait 'til . . ."

"Will!" Buffy shook her head in her friend's direction. "Grown up, remember?"

"I wanna go home." Tara buried her head in Willow's shoulder, her arms wrapped so tightly around her neck that the Wicca though she was going to choke.

"Me too." Darla kicked moodily.

Buffy sighed. "Where are the others?"

"Xander's gone to get Anya." Willow reported. "She's . . .There they are."

Little Anya's brow was contorted in a mutinous scowl and, if looks could kill, Xander would have been executed on the spot for the heinous crime of making her close down her thriving business.

The blonde Slayer did a quick head count. "Three kids, three adults – where's Drusilla?"

"She's talking to the water fairy." Tara's voice was slightly muffled by the thumb in her mouth.

"The what?"

SPLASH.

"Sh--!"

Abruptly releasing Darla and Anya, Buffy and Xander dashed over to the stream, where Drusilla was communing with her new friend, fishing out a drenched and disgruntled young lady.

Willow watched the proceedings, a heavy feeling in her heart.

It was bad enough having to deal with the four little girls, but knowing that she was responsible made her feel worse.

She hated herself for having hurt Tara, the person she loved more than anyone else, hated that she had betrayed her trust.

_/I'm sorry, baby. / _She hugged the little girl, all she had left of her girlfriend, tightly. _/I am so sorry. /_

Little Tara looked up at her, a curious expression on her small face. "Why are you sorry?"

TBC.


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To Fred God of – I'm sure that Spike would love you forever if you did.

* * *

**Chapter 6.**

_**That evening.**_

"Tara?" Willow's hands were gentle as she combed and plaited the five year old's long blonde hair. "What you said in the park, when you asked me why I was sorry, what did you mean?"

"You said that you were sorry." Tara fiddled with the hem of her pink T-shirt. "But I didn't know why."

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did." Tara's voice was quiet, but there was a determined strength behind her words. "You were talking in my head."

"Talking in your head?" Willow stared at the young version of her lover in astonishment. "What do you mean?"

"I can hear people talking in my head sometimes." Tara confessed in a soft voice, squirming uncomfortably. "Mommy says it's because I'm special. Daddy says it's because I'm going to be a demon when I grow up. Donny says it's because I'm a freak."

"You're not." Willow's voice was firm. "You're not a demon and you're not a freak. Your daddy was lying to you."

Little Tara gasped, as though speaking of her father could conjure him out of thin air, a prospect she found terrifying.

"You shouldn't say that." The little girl was close to tears. "He'll get angry with you."

"Let him." Willow caught the girl's chin in one hand, tilting her head gently towards her. "You are not bad, you are not a demon and you are not a freak. You are a very special little girl and you have special gifts, that's all."

"Really?" Tara gazed up at the older girl with a trusting expression.

Willow had a lump in her throat. She couldn't think what she had done to deserve that faith.

"Really." Her voice was firm.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Angel's voice was concerned.

"That's quite a bruise you've got there, Slayer." Spike commented.

Buffy glanced down at her midriff, part of which had been briefly bared when she had had to take something out of the cupboard, puzzled at the purpling bruise forming there.

"That's probably from when I was pulling Darla off that kid." She said, realization dawning. "She kicked me when I carried her away." She touched it gingerly, wincing. "It's still sore."

"_Darla_ did that?" Angel looked shocked.

"How'd a five year old do that much damage?" Spike asked incredulously.

Buffy shook her head resignedly. "I think it's pretty obvious that we're not dealing with average five year olds."

* * *

"Are you serious?" Darla's eyes lit up at the prospect her friend had put before her.

"Uh-huh." Anya skipped on the spot, the blonde pigtails Xander – with much difficulty - had plaited her hair in, bouncing from side to side. "I did it in the park and a kid got a quarter."

Drusilla stared at Anya in awe. "Are you a fairy?"

"It won't work." Darla, the sceptic of the group, pointed out in a no nonsense tone.

"How do you know?" Anya challenged indignantly. "You haven't even tried yet. Go on - make a wish."

"Fine." Darla rolled her eyes. "I wish . . ."

"I wish I had my dolly." Drusilla exclaimed, cutting Darla off with uncharacteristic confidence.

"Wish granted."

The dark haired little girl beamed as the old fashioned porcelain doll materialized in her hands.

"What are you guys doing?" Tara, now bathed and ready for bed, joined the other three in what had been Joyce's, and then her own and Willow's bedroom, before being turned over to the four little girls.

"We're playing 'Wish'." Anya announced happily. "Darla didn't believe me, but I showed her." She stuck her tongue out at the other child. "So there!"

Wisely deciding that the opportunities provided by Anya's gift outweighed the other girl's slight, Darla grinned at her.

"That's really cool." Her blue eyes sparkled wickedly.

"Isn't it?" Anya's pride was evident. "My turn now. I wish . . ." She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "I wish I had a million dollars."

Nothing happened.

"I said 'I wish I had a million dollars'." She repeated, a little more loudly.

Nothing.

"Maybe you can only do magic for other people, not yourself." Tara suggested shyly.

Anya scowled. "That's not fair!" the little girl looked ready to cry and/or throw a temper tantrum.

"It's alright, Anya-fairy." Drusilla patted her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll make the wishes for you and we can all be princesses and live happily ever after."

"That's right." Darla looked gleeful. "We could have a lot of fun with this."

* * *

"You guys, I'm worried about Tara."

"Why?"

Willow sighed. "She read my mind earlier today."

"Tara can read minds?" A horror struck Xander mentally reviewed his thoughts, hoping against hope that the little girl hadn't picked up on anything that was going to scar her for life.

"Evidently."

"Ouch." Buffy's expression was sympathetic. "I know from experience that it's not as cool as it sounds."

"We're immune, right Gramps?"

"Spike!" Angel scowled at his grandchilde. "Vampires' thoughts can't be read."

"That's a relief." Spike had no desire to have a five year old – or anyone else, for that matter - combing through his mind.

"I think." Angel amended.

"I think Darla has kept some of her powers too." Buffy chimed in. "She still has super strength."

"You're joking, right?" Xander looked almost frightened.

"Wish I was."

"What about the others?" Willow was concerned. "Anya and Drusilla. Do they have powers?"

"Speaking of." Spike glanced towards the ceiling. "Is it just me or are that lot being far too quiet?"

* * *

The bedroom was a scene of complete and utter chaos.

Drusilla sat on the bed, a picnic laid out in front of her, conversing with the doll, both of them dressed in matching frilly white dresses.

The doll – now four feet tall - was holding a teacup and drinking from it, her movements slow and jerky.

Tara was curled up on a chair, a kitten tucked under each arm, singing softly to them, while Darla and Anya split an ice-cream sundae large enough to feed a small country.

Just as the door opened, Darla wished for chocolate sauce, which Anya thoughtfully provided.

The adults regarded them quietly for a few moments before Dawn broke the stunned silence.

"I think it's safe to say that Anya still has her powers."

TBC.


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.  
  
**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.  
  
**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **This is a pretty short chapter, I know, but the next one should be longer and more interesting.

* * *

**Chapter 7.**

_**The next day.**_

Giles sighed wearily, taking off his glasses and polishing them for the umpteenth time, before redirecting his attention to the gang assembled in the living room with their four small charges.

"If I live to be a hundred," He spoke in a low voice, still slightly jet-lagged after the long flight from England. "I will never understand how it is that you manage to get yourselves into these situations." He looked across at the couch, where the four little girls were clustered together, whispering something he couldn't hear. "This time, you've really outdone yourselves."

"This isn't _our _fault." Buffy indicated herself and Dawn.

"And we didn't force them to cast that spell." Willow spoke up in defense of herself, Xander, Angel and Spike.

"I blame them." Xander gestured toward the little girls.

Little Darla, overhearing this, glared up at the adults. "Whatever we did, we didn't do it."

"This isn't important." Giles interrupted, before a full-fledged blame game could break out. "All that matters right now is reversing this spell. What do you know so far?"

"Uhh. . ." Buffy felt a little sheepish. "Nothing."

If Giles hadn't been Giles, he would have cursed.

"That's not entirely true." Willow objected. "We know that they cast some kind of spell – probably a resurrection, since it brought Darla back. The problem is that we don't know _which_ spell they cast and, if the bottles that they left in the garden are any indication, they weren't exactly in a position to think clearly, so they might have used elements from more than one spell, and they probably didn't remember those properly so . . ."

"Marvelous." Giles frowned. "Is there anything positive that you can tell me?"

"Yeah." Spike grinned. "They have to sleep some time."

* * *

"I want that one!"

"No, let go!"

"I saw it first!"

"No you didn't."

Darla narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"Girls." Xander caught a hand each of Darla and Anya. "What are you fighting for? There's plenty of candy bars for everyone."

"But I want _that _one." Anya pouted adorably, hoping to sway Xander to her side.

"So do I." Darla was not prepared to budge an inch.

Xander sighed, trying to remember how his mother had dealt with such squabbles when he and his cousins were small.

Both five year olds shot him a look that could kill when he took the disputed candy bar from them and held it behind his back.

"I'm thinking of a number between one and ten." He announced. "Whoever guesses it gets the candy bar."

"Seven." The little girls spoke in unison.

Xander's face fell as Anya and Darla simultaneously guessed the correct answer.

_/Why did this never happen when Mom tried this? /_

* * *

"Tara?" Giles voice was gentle as he crouched in front of the shy little girl. "Are you sure that you don't remember anything about what happened just before you came here? Do you remember anything about a spell?" He prompted.

Tara's eyes widened fearfully. "I can't talk about that."

"Yes you can." He smiled encouragingly. "What do you remember?"

"I'm not allowed talk about magic." Tara insisted. "My Daddy gets mad at me."

"But your father isn't here now."

"He'll get mad at me."

"My father says that all witches are going to burn in Hell." Little Drusilla confided quietly, as though she was afraid that she would be overheard. "Because they are daughters of Satan."

Tara's lower lip trembled and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Drusilla was not long in following her example.

"Tara?" Willow, summoned to the dining room by the sound of crying, rushed to the little girl's side and pulling her into a gentle hug. "What's wrong, baby?"

Spike, following the Wiccan into the room, scooped Drusilla into his arms, glaring at Giles. "What did you do to them?"

"Nothing." Giles sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to get any information out of either child any time soon.

_/Hopefully Darla and Anya will be more helpful. /_

* * *

The interview did not begin on a good note.

Both Anya and Darla were sulking over the fact that Xander, failing to come up with a reasonable resolution to their squabble had solved the problem by eating the disputed candy bar himself.

Anya was still trying to come up with an appropriate plan for vengeance and Darla had promised to make the wish for her.

"So do you remember anything at all?" Giles was heartily wishing that he had erased the message Buffy had left on his answering machine without listening to it.

"Maybe." Darla gave him a nasty smile. "But even if we did, we wouldn't tell you."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "We like it here. We're not going to tell you anything that helps you send us back where we came from."

Ignoring Darla, Giles turned his attention to Anya.

Five years old or not, he knew her weakness and had no qualms about exploiting it.

"What if I _pay _you to tell me?"

Poor Anya was sorely tempted but Darla clapped a hand over her mouth before she could say anything.

"Don't bother." She glared at Giles before sharing a conspiratorial grin with Anya. "I can wish for more money than he has." She reminded her before giving Giles a scornful look. "So he's got nothing."

Giles, much as he hated to admit it, had to concede that she was right.

TBC.

_Author's Note: Next up: Rupert Giles –vs– the Fearsome Four._


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children. _

**Requirements:**

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin. _

**Bonus:**

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_**The Magic Box, the next day.**_

"Darla! No, put the dagger down! Anya, leave the cash register alone. You can't play with the money. Tara, no, that book's not for little girls. Drusilla . . ." Giles looked around the Magic Box, panicked. "Where are you and what are you doing?"

From her perch on the ladder, absorbed in a book of fairy lore, Drusilla either couldn't hear him, or was ignoring him.

Since she wasn't engaged in a dangerous or troublemaking activity, Giles wisely decided to leave her be.

Had he had a time machine in possession, he would have gone back to that morning and throttled his past self for agreeing to take responsibility for all four girls at once.

Spike had been the first to approach him with a request to take charge of Drusilla while he was researching with the books at the Magic Box, backing up his request with a solemn promise to refrain from taunting him for at least a month.

Clinging to the slight hope that, with Drusilla on her own, he might be able to get some information from her, the Watcher had agreed.

When Willow, explaining that she had an exam, had pleaded with him to keep an eye on Tara for a few hours, he had agreed, thinking that, as the little girl was so quiet, she wouldn't be any trouble, not knowing that where Tara went, Darla insisted on going.

Anya, finding out that her three companions would be at the magic shop, had asked Xander to let her stay with Giles – neglecting to mention that he was already burdened with the care of three children – and he had been more than happy to agree to her request, dropping her off without so much as a by your leave.

The cellphones of the four relieved of babysitting duty had been switched off for some reason.

Thankfully the shop was closed.

He didn't even want to think about how difficult it would have been to cater to customers while keeping an eye on the children.

"Can I play shop – pleeeeeeease?" Anya stretched out the word into as many syllables as she could. "I'll be the capitalist and you can be the dupes. . .i mean customers." She finished sweetly.

"Hey, Anya, I want to go horse riding. I wish I had a . . ."

"No wishing." Giles hurriedly clapped a hand over a furiously indignant Darla's mouth.

"Can't we even wish for an ice-cream?" Tara asked, her lower lip trembling. "I'm hungry."

"Why don't I buy you ice-cream?" The last thing Giles wanted to do was to encourage any of the little girls to use their powers.

"I've got a better idea." Anya practically danced with excitement. "I'll make the ice-creams appear and you give me the money that you would have spent on them."

"Or you buy some, and Anya magicks some and we see which tastes better." Darla suggested.

"I'll make a deal with you;" Giles suggested desperately. "If you can sit down and be quiet and not get into any trouble for ten minutes while I do my research, you can have ice-cream."

"That doesn't sound like fun." Anya wrinkled her little nose in distaste.

"How do you know if you don't try?" He pressed.

"We know." Little Darla's no-nonsense tone left no room for argument.

Giles drew himself up to his full height, glaring at the young girl.

Deep down, he knew that intimidation tactics would be worse than useless where Darla and Anya were concerned, but he had to try every angle.

"I am an adult." He announced impressively. "Children should obey their elders."

"My Daddy says that." Tara murmured softly.

"You're not my elder." Darla told him scathingly. "Or Anya's or Dru's. And I won't let you pick on Tara."

"I'm not your elder?" Giles pounced on her words eagerly. "How old are you?"

"That's none of your business." She told him grandly.

"Do you remember about where you were before you came here?" He pressed her.

"I've already told you that I won't talk about that."

"And we won't either." Anya spoke up on her own behalf, as well as Tara's and Drusilla's.

Giles sighed, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. "Girls," His voice was calm and gentle. "It's very important for you to tell me anything that you might know about why you came here."

"It doesn't matter." Drusilla spoke up in a soft, singsong tone. "Your books can't tell you and neither can we. That's not where the answer lies."

"Don't worry, Mr Giles." Tara patted his hand gently. "It's not hopeless – and don't be thinking bad things about Willow and the others." She added sternly.

"Did he think something bad about my darling boy?" Darla demanded indignantly. The five year old looked fully prepared to tear him to pieces if that was the case.

"No, I didn't. . ." Giles, faced with the glares of four little girls, knew that only one thing was going to get him out of trouble. "Who wants ice-cream?"

* * *

_**An hour later.**_

"Giles is a lifesaver!" Willow declared, flopping into the booth next to her friends.

"You heard that he let Spike talk him into taking Drusilla, huh?" Buffy snorted with laughter at the thought of the still slightly stuffy Watcher dealing with the fey five year old.

"Dru?" Willow's eyes widened. "He's taking care of Tara for me. And Darla too."

"He's taking care of _three _of them!"

"Uh. . ." Xander raised a sheepish hand.

"Xander." Buffy's tone was low and dangerous. "Where exactly is Anya?"

All she could hear was an indistinct murmur.

"What?"

"At the Magic Box." He muttered.

"Giles has all four of them?" Willow looked horrified. "Poor Giles!"

Buffy shook her head in mock sorrow. "He'll never agree to help us again."

TBC.


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

**_The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)_**

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children._

**_Requirements:_**

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin._

**_Bonus:_**

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **This is just a short update, but this story will be completed in another couple of chapters.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Anya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins, tell me that you didn't just make an ostrich appear in my living room!" Much to her own dismay, over the past couple of days Buffy had found herself slipping into parent mode, something she had sworn would never happen until she was at least forty, but the four little girls were enough to drive even the sanest person to distraction and young ladying.

"Okay." The five year old smiled sweetly. "I didn't make an ostrich appear in your living room."

"Don't yell at Anya." Darla ordered, hands on her hips, a scowl on her small face. "_I _made the wish."

"Fine, then _you _can have a time out."

The small blonde snorted in derision. "You don't really think that you're going to get me into that corner, do you? Even you aren't that dumb."

"Come on." She took little Darla's arm in a firm grip and marched her over to the corner. . .or at least _tried_ to.

"I wish that Buffy was glued to the ceiling."

Seconds later the Slayer found herself glaring down at two giggling little girls, her back pressed to the ceiling.

"A little help here?"

Xander gaped at her in astonishment for a full minute before frowning at the five year old version of his ex. "Ahn. . ." He began in a warning tone.

"I can't do anything unless someone makes a wish." The little girl announced triumphantly.

"Anya!" Poor Buffy was starting to get dizzy.

"That's not the best way to get us to cooperate." Darla observed shrewdly. "Ask nicely and we might help."

"Fine." Buffy muttered through gritted teeth. "Can I please get down?"

"Oh alright." Darla conceded, muttering 'baby' under her breath. "I wish that Buffy wasn't stuck to the ceiling."

THUD!

"You couldn't have asked for a soft landing?"

"I _could_ have."

"Now let that be a lesson to you." Anya scolded as though Buffy had been the one in the wrong.

"You know, if Anya can grant wishes. . ." Xander shook his head disparagingly. "I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier. I wish that Anya, Tara, Darla and Drusilla were adults again." He waited expectantly.

Nothing happened.

"Come on!" Darla gave him a pitying look. "Did you think we'd make it that easy for you?"

* * *

****

**_Later that night._**

"Tell me a story." Drusilla looked up at Angel beseechingly.

"Where's Spike?"

"My prince of the night is on a quest to slay the dragons." Drusilla-speak for 'Spike's out on patrol'. "Please?"

"Okay." Angel couldn't keep from smiling as the little girl climbed onto his lap, waiting expectantly for her story.

"Once upon a time, long ago," He began, remembering the stories he had been told as a child. "There lived in Ireland a group of brave warriors called the Fianna, and the bravest of them all was Finn Mc Cool."

Little Drusilla snuggled closer, enjoying the story, happily oblivious to the indignant shrieks and loud splashes coming from the bathroom as Xander and Giles tried to coax Anya and Darla to wash their faces before going to bed.

* * *

"Are you warm enough, baby?" Willow asked, tucking the covers more closely around the miniature version of Tara.

"Yes, thank you." The little girl smiled sweetly at her.

"Can I get you anything; a glass of water, a cookie?"

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"Okay." Willow paused, not knowing what else she could offer.

"Willow?" Tara's voice was soft.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"Why did you do it?" Her tone was more sad than angry, more hurt than accusing. "Why did you use magic on my mind?"

TBC.

_Author's Note: Any requests? Please review and let me know._


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children._

_**Requirements:**_

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin._

_**Bonus:**_

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To Darklight - Faith would be cool, but she's still in prison at this point and the story only has another chapter or two to go.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Well?" After a couple of minutes of strained silence, little Tara prompted her gently. "Why did you do it?"

"It's hard to explain, baby."

"No it's not." The five year old's expression was solemn. "All you have to do is tell me the truth."

"I was scared." The red haired Wicca's voice was small. "Of losing you. I couldn't bear the thought of it, so I tried to make things right."

"You shouldn't have done it."

"I know."

"Don't you see?" The little girl sounded far older than her years. "If I'd only stayed because of your spell, it wouldn't be me that stayed, not really."

"I was scared. . ."

"I know you were, but if you hadn't done the spell on me, I wouldn't have had to leave."

"I just wanted to make things right for us. . .for me." Tears began to course down her cheeks.

"Ssh." Little Tara enfolded the older woman in her arms, hugging her tightly. "Don't cry."

* * *

****

**_The next morning._**

"Are you okay, Tara?" Darla, concerned by her friend's silence, asked through a mouthful of toast.

"I guess." Her expression was pensive. "I talked to Willow last night, about . . .you know."

"What did she say?" Anya asked curiously.

"She said she was sorry." The soft reply was almost inaudible. "She really meant it."

"No she didn't."

"I think she did."

"She didn't!" Anya stamped her foot. "She didn't! She didn't! She didn't!" She glared at the other little girl. "You're a traitor!"

"Don't call Tara names." Darla's voice was sharp.

"She _is _a traitor." Little Anya looked ready to cry. "We're having fun together like this and she doesn't want to any more. You _promised_."

"I know. . ."

"We said that we weren't going to let them ever turn us back, never ever."

"Never, never, never, never." Drusilla chanted. "Never say never, no never, not ever."

"You don't like us any more!" Anya cried out her accusation at the top of her lungs. "You want to go back."

"I do like you, it's just. . ."

"I wish that Tara was going to stay little." Anya scowled when nothing happened.

"The Anya-fairy can't grant her own wishes." Drusilla pointed out sweetly.

"It's not fair!"

Howling in rage, the little former vengeance demon tore out of the room.

Little Dru shook her head solemnly. "Poor fairy. She's all sad now." Without another word, she turned and followed the other child out of the kitchen.

"Darla?" Tara's voice was timid. "Do you think I'm a traitor?"

She badly wanted to say yes, to chide her friend for even thinking about what they had sworn that they would never do and she knew that if she said yes, Tara would abandon her idea, but she couldn't.

"You're not a traitor." Only her own determination not to cry kept the tears from springing to her eyes.

"You won't hate me?"

"I couldn't." Her tone was sincere. "Not ever." She swallowed hard to get rid of the lump that was forming in her throat. "Just promise me that you'll still be my friend, even after. . ."

"I promise."

"Thank you." She hugged the other little girl tightly. "I gotta go now. I need to find Willow."

"I know." Darla, despite her best efforts, couldn't keep from sniffling.

* * *

"Willow?"

The Wicca looked up from her computer, rubbing her strained eyes and smiling at the solemn little girl standing in front of her.

"Hi, baby."

Little Tara pulled out one of the chairs and climbed on it, a serious expression on her small face as she looked up at her.

"Willow, are you really sorry about casting that spell on me?"

"Sorrier than you'll ever know." She swore feverently.

"And you won't do it again?"

"Never?"

"Never ever."

"Okay." Little Tara paused and took a deep breath. "Then I forgive you."

Willow cried out in alarm as the little girl swayed before collapsing. She darted forward to catch the little girl, but the body that fell into her arms was heavier than she had expected.

"Hey." The now adult Tara looked up at her groggily. "I'm back."

TBC.

_Author's Note: I know it's been a while since this story was updated, but I've beenin a bit of an updatey mood for the past couple of days - I updated four stories yesterday. Please review._


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children. _

**Requirements:**

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin. _

**Bonus:**

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To C'est Magnifique - Forgiveness is a factor, but its not the only one.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Do you remember anything? What do you remember?"

"Giles!" Willow frowned reprovingly at him. "She just aged sixteen years. Give her a chance to breathe."

"Sorry." The Watcher had the grace to look sheepish. "But if we know how Tara came back, we can bring the other three back."

"Forgiveness." Willow's voice was soft as she slipped her hand into Tara's. "You told me that you forgave me."

The blonde's answering smile made her feel happier than she had in what felt like eons.

"So I'm going to need Anya to forgive me?" Xander looked crestfallen. "Well, I'm screwed."

"It's not just that." Tara said softly. "I forgave Willow, yes, but I wanted to give us another chance too, I _wanted _to come back."

"How did you know?" Giles fiddled with his glasses, perplexed. "How did you know what you needed to do to come back?"

Tara smiled wistfully. "We wished it."

**_

* * *

_**

****

**_Two days earlier._**

_"They're talking about us again." Darla announced, peeved._

_"What are they saying?" Tara asked, hugging her kitten to her. _

_"Do they want to send us back?" Anya's eyes widened. "I'm not going back."_

_"No, no, no, no, no, no." Drusilla chanted. "Never go back, never go back, never, never."_

_"I don't want to go back either." Tara looked frightened. "I like it here."_

_"We're not letting them send anyone back, remember?" Darla reassured her friends, automatically taking charge. "We promised." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I think they don't like having kids around, though - I heard the dumb one telling my darling boy that she wanted us to be grown ups."_

_"Willow keeps thinking about stuff I don't understand." Tara complained. "She keeps saying that she's sorry for something. I don't understand what, though."_

_"They're hiding something from us." Darla said. She locked eyes with each of her friends in turn, waiting for them to guess what she had in mind, and once she had recieved a nod from each of them, she turned to Anya, a determined expression on her small face. "I wish we knew what was going on."_

* * *

"This is not good." Spike said glumly. "Dru _never_ forgives."

"What about Darla?" Angel looked concerned. "If she goes back, she goes back to being dead. Drusilla goes back to being an insane vampire and Anya. . ."

"Will punish me in a suitably grotesque manner the second she's back." Xander finished for him.

"They seem pretty happy as kids." Dawn pointed out. "Maybe they should stay like that."

"Are you volunteering to babysit, Little Bit?"

"No way!"

"They're a sly bunch, aren't they?" Spike's tone was grudgingly admiring. "They knew what was going on the whole time but they never let out a hint of it."

"It would have made my job considerably easier if they had seen fit to share their knowledge." Giles said sourly.

"Maybe we shouldn't try to send Darla or Dru back," Dawn said, feeling sorry for the two little girls and the fates they faced if the spell was reversed. "But what about Anya?"

Xander quailed under the looks the others were giving him. "What should I do?"

"I suggest grovelling." Spike suggested, grinning. "Lots and lots of grovelling."

* * *

"Hi guys." Tara's smile was tentative as she approached the three five year olds. Only Darla returned her smile. "What are you playing?"

"Snakes and Ladders." Darla informed her.

"Slithering, slippering snakes." LittleDrusilla elaborated, doing a remarkably good impersonation of a hissing snake.

"Can I play?"

"It would be a good game for you." Anya glared at her. "Seeing as you're a snake!"

"Anya!" Tara was surprised and hurt by the venom in the little girl's voice.

"It's true." Anya sprang to her feet, planting her hands on her hips. "You're a snake and a traitor and a. . .a Communist!" She declared, using the worst insult she could come up with.

"I'm sorry. . ."

"You made a promise. We swore that we were going to stay friends forever. Just wait until I think of something bad enough to do to you - you'll be sorry."

"You're not going to do anything to Tara." Darla told her fiercely. "Or I'll find all of your money and burn it!"

"We can still be friends." Tara tried to soothe the angry little girl, who was temporarily silenced by Darla's awful threat.

"I'm not friends with _traitors_." Anya announced scornfully. Come on, Dru."

Drusilla, whatever her own feelings were,was given little alternative but to follow as the other girl took her arm in a vice like grip and all but dragged her out of the room.

"Don't be sad." Darla sat down next to Tara on the couch, putting her little arms around her neck. "_I'm _still your friend - right?" She looked desperate for confirmation of this.

"Of course." Tara hugged her tightly.

"I don't want to go back." Darla confided quietly. "I know that I'll be dead if I do and I'm scared."

"It's okay." Tara soothed. "Nobody can make you go back if you don't want to, you know that."

"I know." She looked up at her with appealing eyes. "Tara? Can I ask you something?"

"Always." Tara smoothed the little girl's hair tenderly.

"If I stay little, can I live with you?"

TBC.

_Author's Note: Not long to go now until the end of this story. Please don't forget to review._


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children. _

**Requirements:**

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin. _

**Bonus:**

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 12**

"Are you sure about this?" Angel asked.

"Positive." Tara's tone was determined. "If Darla goes back to the way she was before the spell, she'll die. I won't allow that to happen."

"I meant about her living with you." He pressed. "You don't have to take her if you don't want to, I could. . ."

"I want to." She cut him off firmly.

Angel was quiet for a moment. He couldn't shake his feeling that little Darla was his responsibility, that he should be the one to take care of her if she remained young, but his life in LA didn't exactly put him in the best position to raise a child and he knew that Tara would take good care of her.

"Thanks." he said softly. "If you need anything. . ."

"We'll be fine."

"Wow." Willow's tone was awed as she watched the dark-haired vampire leave the room. "This is really nice of you." She smiled at the other blonde. "You're going to be a wonderful mom. Darla's really lucky."

"I'm the lucky one."

* * *

"Is Tara going to be your new mummy?" Drusilla asked, her dark eyes wide with wonder.

"She's my friend." Darla corrected. "And I'm going to live with her."

"You'll be her little princess." The other girl smiled wistfully. "She'll be your queen-mama and love you forever and ever."

"If you want, you could stay with us too." Darla offered, sensing the other child's vulnerability. "Tara said that she'd like you to."

"No." Dru spoke pensively. "I'm not going to be living with you and Tara." Her tone indicated that she knew this to be an established fact.

"Are you going to live with Spike?" Darla wouldn't have found the prospect of living in a crypt in the least bit appealing, but who knew with Dru?

"No." Little Drusilla smiled dreamily. "I'm going to live with the fairies."

* * *

"I don't want to talk to you." Little Anya glared up at Xander, who regarded her pleadingly.

"Come on, Ahn, I said I was sorry."

"Well it's not good enough." She scowled. "You hurt me."

"I know."

"I haven't ever been so happy as I was on our wedding day. You made my happy day horrible."

"I got scared."

"Why didn't you talk to me about it then? Why didn't you _try_ to make it work?"

"Would you really have wanted me to marry you when I wasn't completely sure that it was right?"

"Well. . ." Little Anya frowned, unwilling to concede that he might have a point.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you." Xander said seriously. "But if I had gone ahead with the wedding when I wasn't sure about it, I could have ended up hurting you a lot, lot more in the end. I'm not going to apologize for not doing that."

"I'm not going to forgive you." Anya warned. "I'm not going to go back."

"Fine." Xander responded unexpectedly. "Stay a kid - a kid who can't own a business or have a job or make any money."

Little Anya froze. While she was enjoying the fun of being a kid, she couldn't deny that it had it's disadvantages. Part of her wished that they hadn't wished to know what was going on, that she couldn't remember the pleasure she took in totting up the profits of her store at the end of each day.

Yes, there were some things about being an adult that she missed, at least one of which should not be spoken of in polite company, but she wasn't about to let Xander off the hook that easily.

Not a chance.

* * *

"Maybe I'd feel better if I got to have some vengeance." Anya pondered aloud.

"I'll make the wish if the fairy wants me to." Drusilla offered sweetly.

"Thanks." Anya beamed at her friend. "Let's see. . .we could 'viscerate him, or maybe give him boils or a rash, or make something happen to. . .No, I like Xander's penis the way it is." She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Any ideas?"

She was going to do something to Xander, something that'd hurt him like she had hurt, something that would make him look as sad as he had on their wedding day.

The five year old paused in her train of thought.

Yes, Xander _had _been hurting that day, and ever since, perhaps even as much as she had. Maybe he'd suffered enough, maybe it was time for her to. . .

"No!" Little Anya bellowed aloud, realizing what she had been thinking and what was going to happen now. "No, I don't want to! I didn't mean it!"

"Too late Anya-fairy." Drusilla smiled sweetly as her friend morphed into adult form.

Anya had barely registered the fact that she was now nearly two feet taller and, physically if not chronologically, sixteen years older before a small voice posed a tentative question.

"Will you be my Mummy?"

TBC.


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

_**The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)**_

_After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children. _

**Requirements:**

_- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.  
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'  
- A little cat fight.  
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin. _

**Bonus:**

_- Little Tara developing telepathy.  
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.  
- Tara and Dru bonding.  
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.  
- Anya teaching the others about sex.  
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'  
- Anya and Darla fighting.  
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.  
- Dru still having her visions.  
- Darla still having super strength  
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes._

**Author's Note: **To rcaqua- Anya didn't need to say anything out loud. She wasn't granting her own wish. There are two requirements for the scorned women to change back - to be able to forgive the person who had 'scorned' them and to actually want to go back to their original states. Although Tara said out loud that she forgave Willow, that wasn't essential.Anya was already starting to want to be an adult again and when the idea that Xander had suffered enough and she should forgive him crossed her mind, even for a moment, it fulfilled the second requirement.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

_**Two days later.**_

"I'vegot to ask, Tara." It had taken every ounce of self-control Xander possessed not to ask this before now, but he felt as if he was going to burst if he didn't know. "The mind-reading thing - you haven't been able to do it all along, have you?"

Taking pity on him, Tara shook her head. "No. I used to be able to when I was little, but. . ." She trailed off, remembering how frightened she had been of her ability and it's origins, despite her mother's reassurances, how determinedly she had suppressed it, thinking that if she could just get that to go away, the dismal future as a demon her father predicted could be averted. "I stopped."

"It could prove a very useful gift if you can learn to reharness your abilities." Giles suggested eagerly. "Perhaps we could revive your telepathic abilities."

"Maybe." The young woman's tone was decidely non-committal.

"So what's happening with the Darla and Dru?" Angel asked, wanting everything to be cleared up before he returned to Los Angeles. "I know we're not going to try to change them back and Tara said she'd take care of Darla - are you sure you want. . ."

"I'm sure." Tara cut him off.

"Drusilla's staying with me." Anya announced proudly. "I can teach her about capitalism and the joys of commerce and all about sex. . ."

"Maybe you should wait until she's a little older." Giles suggested delicately.

"You're never too young to learn about capitalism." Her response was disnissive.

"So it's settled? Completely?"

"Yes." Anya confirmed. "Unless Spike would rather take care of Dru. . ."

"She's all yours!"

* * *

Despite her small stature, Darla could be intimidating when she wanted to be, as Willow was finding out.

The five year old had cornered her in the dining room and commanded her, in no uncertain terms, to sit.

"Are you going to try to get Tara to like you again?"

"What?" Poor Willow was taken aback by the demand.

"She said that she was going to meet you and you were going to go out."

"We're just going to get something to eat, you know, and talk."

"You want to get back together, don't you?" Darla accused.

"I'd love to, but these things take time and I don't know if Tara wants to. . ."

"She does."

"Really?" Willow brightened.

"Let's get one thing straight." Darla narrowed her eyes, glowering at her. "Tara's my friend, and if you ever hurt her again, you'll answer to _me_."

"I won't."

"You'd better not." Darla told her sternly. Concentrating, she murmured an incantation, a glowing ball of energy appearing in her small hand. "Or I will make you regret it."

Willow, astounded by the little girl's new abilities, could only nod.

* * *

"You love my new mummy, don't you." Climbing onto Xander's lap, little Drusilla looked up at him with a solemn expression on her face.

"Yeah." Xander nodded. "She's amazing."

"I like her too." Dru told him calmly. "And she likes you."

"She does?"

"Yes." The five year old gave him a shy smile. "I like you too. You were a good Miss Edith."

"Thanks. . .I guess."

"Very pretty, Miss Edith was." She said sentimentally. "And Mummy's going to be very pretty on the special day."

"What special day?"

"The wedding day."

He had no plans to propose in the immediate future, and, although Anya had grudgingly agreed to start talking to him again, he knew that it would be a long time before either of them were ready to take that step.

Still, it was nice to know that it was possible.

"Wait." Xander was struck by a very unwelcome thought. "I'm going to be the groom, right?"

* * *

"Tara?" Willow posed the question tentatively. "When you were, you know, five, you didn't teach Darla any magic, did you?"

"No, why?"

"Because she's learned it."

"That should be interesting." Tara took the news fairly calmly. "Maybe it happened because I changed back."

"Little you's magic had to go somewhere and it ended up in Darla?"

"Maybe."

"She read me the riot act." Willow confided in a wounded tone. "I don't think she likes me."

"Don't take it personally. It sometimes takes Darla a while to get comfortable with people."

"But she likes you and Anya, she likes Angel, even Spike."

"She doesn't like Buffy."

"True." Willow smiled as she remembered the Slayer's indignation about the ceiling incident, then paled abrubtly. "Tara? If your little kid magic went to Darla, what do you think happened to little Anya's powers?"

* * *

"There, there, Miss Edith." Drusilla patted Xander's arm comfortingly. "There'll be a happily ever after."

"When?" Xander asked glumly. "And do I have to be 'Miss Edith'? Can't I be a handsome prince?" His expression was hopeful.

"The handsome Prince Edith." The five year old amended obligingly.

"Better than nothing, I suppose." He sighed. "Anya's so mad at me, I don't think she'll ever be able to look at me without remembering. I wish I knew what to say so that she'd know how sorry I am, and how much I love her."

Drusilla smiled tranquilly. "Wish granted."

* * *

"Prince Edith is talking to Mummy." Drusilla reported cheerfully.

"That's Xander, right?" Over the past few week or so, Darla had become more or less accustomed to the other child's way of speaking, but there were times when she still needed a translation. Dru nodded confirmation. "Are they going to be in love again?"

"Not yet. Soon though." Drusilla told her calmly. "Then Mummy and Prince Edith and me can live happily ever after."

"He won't be too happy if you keep calling him that." Darla looked across at the other girl, worried. "What about Tara?" Her voice was quiet. "Will she love Willow again?"

Drusilla, showing unusual perception, squeezed her friend's hand. "Don't be scared. Tara won't not love you, even if she does love her princess. Willow won't be a wicked stepmother and steal her away."

"She better not." Darla sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "I miss Tara and Anya being like us. We had lots of fun. It won't be the same now."

"No, but we can still be princesses and have lots of games and magic and tricks and treats." Drusilla beamed. "New gifts from the fairies."

"Yeah." Thinking of her new-found magical abilities, Darla grinned across at the other child. "You know what could be a lot of fun?"

"What?"

"An elephant."

Drusilla beamed. "You know what to do to make a wish come true."

THE END.

_Author's Note: It's taken more than a year, but this story is finished at last. There may be a sequel at some point, when Darla and Drusilla are a year or two older._

_Author's Note II: I found a great challenge by gidgetgirl that's proving very tempting, a Tara, Donny and Beth throwback set in Season Five. Would anyone be interested in reading it, or are you all sick of little Tara and of me writing throwbacks by now?_


End file.
